Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-04-23
Spring Thoughts.

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toll seward with the refuse they
have gathered ; the rough winds
softened and now caress the brown
arms of the trees they lashed. There
comes lull. Higher and higher
strides the sun, and smiles broadly
upon the waste of stubble and hap
less branches. The sad owl ruffies
up the collar of his ragged ulster,
blinks solemnlv and takes q one-eyed
survey of The scene through a knot
hole in the hollow tree, while deep
er down the squirrel still snores
with his nose buried in the muf of
his tail. Tough little sparrows
SILVER under The caves, and one pre-
mature robin, head on one ide,wise-
" chirps his opinion that in day
or two there will be worms. Yet
higher the sun. A tropical wind
floats over the hills that loom to the
south, and, at his caress the acres
quicken and the branches burst the
cerements, and above and beneath is
a quick vision of tenderest and
twinkling green while the fruit
bearers flash with sudden whiteness,
as though some magic storm had
showed blossoms and fragrance upon
them. In the orchard a myriad of
censers swing incense, and the earli-
est fly crawls sleepily from his nook
behind the stove, braids his hind
legs, tries his buzz, leaps lightly in
to The kitchen air, throws six sumer-
saults, and is ready to whoop up the
censers and blow the steak. Ten
thousand thousand grasses pierce
the portals Of the grave and lift their
emerald spires ). there is feathered
love-making among the twigs; the
shy face of the jonquil and the but
tercup are seen by the hedge, and
the anemone stars the meadow; the
arriving swallow lays the corner-gob
Of his mud palace against the CHM
ney the ants troop. from their cata'
comb and repair its wayworn exits
and entrances the potbellied and
immensely scientific spider from
flower to flower draws the guys and
stays of his aerial bridge; yonder y
gang of disre putable crows criticise
the farmers old clothes from afar
and squawk their droning search for
nectar, and samples each fairy chal-
ice as he passes an oriole shoots
through the tangled green like a bull
let of gold that newly welded pair
of blue jays are already in squabble;
two wrens with but single worm
are scuffling in the grass +; yonder a
last years pullet is making vocif-
erous affidavit that she has just laid
the greatest egg in the world here
an old hen is anxiously watching her
last batch, just out, and wondering
what imprudence could have favored
her with that duck the batch itself
is indulging in tug-of-war; the su
perannuated and apoplectic old
rooster brisks up and shrills clar-
ion of defiance; like winged embel
drops the cardinal bird from the
tree downy goslings waddle pud-
.dlewards to dibble for snails; with
sudden whirr the partridge van
ishes the chipmunk sleeks his sides
and chatters his approval; yonder
an angular calf frolics and the lamb.
kin kicks his infant heels at the sky;
hobbledehoy chickens, with scarce a
feather to their backs, are browsing
around the kitchen for scraps the
waters have dwindled in the brook,
its shadows are full of music and min
nows; the acrobatic beetle tumbles
his fecund ball; the bull-frog tunes
up, the grass-fiddle; the cricket
tightens his tiny drum, the earliest
mosquito puts his piccolo forth, and
with the chorus of linnet and finch
and robin and wren, the gurgle of
the thrush and the solemn voice of
the wind in the pines, the great or
chestra is ready, and--one, two,
three the field opera opens its sea-